Shoe-polishing apparatus.



'NO'. 693,987. Patented Feh-.--. 25, I902.

24-. c. SPRlNGQ SHOE PIJLISI'IING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Aug. 16, 1900.)

(No Mddeh) 2 Sheets-Sheet -l.

l/vitmeww m. 693,987. Patent m. .25, I902. N 0. SPRING. I SHOE POLISHING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Aug. 1. 6, 1900.)

(NoModeL 2 Sheets-Shoat 2.

UNITED STATES A PATENT OFFICE.

NAPOLEON C. SPRING, on WINSTED, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES H. MCGARTY AND ABRA K. ALFCRD.

SHOE-POLISHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,987, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed August 16, 1900. Serial No. 27,054. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, NAPOLEO 0. SPRING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lVinsted, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, (whose post-office address isMain street, Winsted, Oonnecticut,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Polishing Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact to .description, whereby any one skilled in the art may make and use the same.

My invention relates in general to shoe-polishing apparatus, and more specifically to that class of apparatus in which a cloth or band of fabric is used for polishing the surface of the shoe in preference to a brush. In devices of this class it is desirable to have them portable and of such convenient size and form,

that it can be easily and conveniently packed.

Such devices are usually intended for holding the strip of material in proper position with relation to the surface to be polished when the boot or shoe is on the foot.

The object of my improvement is to pro- 2' 5 vide a device of the above class which may be readily used for polishing a boot on the foot or may with equal facility be used for,

retaining a boot in a position to be polished when removed from the foot. My invention also comprises a novel arrangement by which the boot may be shinedas to its body portion and its heel portion by simple readjustment of the parts of the shining apparatus. 7

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view illustrating the position of the parts of the improved device when it is used in the ordinary manner for polishing the toe or foot portion of the boot. Fig. 2 is a view illus- 4o trating the position and operation of the parts when used to polish the heel. Fig. 3 illustrates the position of the parts when the device is used as a support for holding a shoe not on the foot. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the device withthe fabricremoved. Fig.

5 is a side elevation of the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, with the band of fabric removed. Fig. 6 is a sectional View, in side elevation, showing the device as applied to a table or like article for the purpose of retaining the shoe. Fig. 7 shows a modified form of the device.

In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes the main portion of the shoe-polisher, which comprises the base-piece a and a shoesupporting rest a the two latter parts hinged together at one end for. the purpose hereinafter described. The base-piece ct is preferably mounted upon short standards or supports a and has pivotally supported at its forward end a guide-wire b, extending outwardly and rearwardly in relation to the base-piece and in general outline conforming substantially to the shape of an ordinary boot or shoe. A socket a is formed between the base-piece and the supporting-rest a and when the rest a is in its normal position the guide I) is firmly held as to its outer endhetween the two portions a a The supportingrest a for the greater portion of its length conforms to the outline of the surface of the base-piece a and bears near its too end a recess 0, adapted to coiiperate with the transverse portion of the guide b,'whereby the rest is firmly supported in an inclined position, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6, when itis desired to use the device simply as a retainer for polishinga boot not on the foot. If desired, a spring-catch may be employed to lock the guiding and supporting memberb and thesole portion togetheragainst' 8o accidental separation, such aspring-catch being illustrated and designated by the letter 0. Atthe rear of the sole-supporting portion is a depression 0 which receives the heel of a boot to be polished, and at the forward Wall of this depression are arranged pins or other holding means, as illustrated by 0 which engage the heel and cooperate with like pins or holding means 0 located on the upper surface of the sole portion to prevent slipping o of the shoe with relation to the polisher. The toe portion of the supporting-rest is slightlyraised to conform and fit snugly to the sole of a shoe, and this raised portion serves also as a stop and rest for the heel when the de- '95 vice is used, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, for polishing the heel portion of the boot. 9

When the device is used for polishing a shoe not on the foot, as illustrated in Fig. 3, Ioo

the guide and supporting memberb is brought into engagement with the recess 0 and in case the spring-clip is used is firmly held therein. W'hen in this position, the supporting-rest (t is inclined to support the shoe, and the shoe is held in position thereon by clamp d, the whole device being secured to a table or other convenient article by a clamp e, which passes up through an orifice f, arranged in the portion a. Suitable buffers, which maybe pieces of felt or other resilient material, as f, are arranged to prevent abrasion of the bearing portions of the device adjacent to this clamp. The orifice f may he made large enough to retain a box of polish such as is ordinarily used for shining the shoe, as indicated in the drawings. Then the device is used for polishing the main portion of the shoe, the polishing-web g is passed over the boot and under the guide-wire located at either side of the rest, and it is obvious that when a toand-fro movement is given to the web of cloth or fabric it will be drawn tightly against the shoe and will create the requisite amount of friction for producing a high polish. When the device is used for polishing the heel portion of the shoe, the fabric is passed about the heel, which lies in engagement with the toe portion of the rest, and after passing about the wire guide, which is now brought to a substantially upright position, it may be moved to and fro across the surface of the heel much the same as in the case above described in connection with the main portion of the shoe.

In the plan view of the device shown in Fig. 4 there is shown in dotted outline a modified form of the guidewvire. It will be noted that the guide-wire shown in the modified form projects forward of its pivotal point, forming a loop 12 which permits of a polishingweb coming into close contact with the extreme toe of the boot.

With either of the forms of guide shown it is to be noted that the pivot lies in a horizontal plane, and as the fabric passes about the guide substantially at right angles to the plane of the pivot there is little liability of its becoming entangled in the guide-wire at its ends, as if there is a tendency for the polishing-web to pull forward into the extreme end .-Wof. the guide it will turn itself at the angle of the guide without u 11d ue binding,which would cause the material to become frayed and unfit for use.

While there is shownherein a specific means for carrying out the invention, the details of which have been carefully described,it is obvious that many of these details might be changed to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention ,Which intends to provide a device that may be used to polish both the toe and heel portions of a boot, whether it be on the foot or ofi.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a shoe-polishing device in combination,a base-piece comprising two hinged parts, a guide pivoted to one of said parts and retained between them, and a polishing-strip cooperating with said guide and support.

2. In combination, in a shoe-polishing apparatus, a support includinga base-piece, and an adjustable shoe-supporting member, a guide adapted for guiding and supporting actions with relation to said shoe-supporting member and means for securing a shoe to the supporting member.

3. In combination in a shoe-polishing apparatus, abase-piece, an adjustable shoe'supporting member pivoted to one end thereof, and a guide pivoted to the opposite end thereof, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth. 4:. In combination in a shoe-polishing apparatus a support, a guide operatively arranged with relation to the support, said guide being adapted to occupy different positions and maintained in said positions by the shoe, substantially as described.

5. In a shoe-polishing device, in combination,a base-piece comprising two hinged parts, a guide pivoted to one of said parts, and a recess in the other part adapted to receive said guide.

6. In combination in a shoe-polishing apparatus a base-piece, two parts hinged at opposite ends thereof, one of said parts beinga shoe-supporting device and the other part being a guiding device, and a recess in the shoesupporting device adapted to receive and retain the guide.

NAPOLEON 0. SPRING. Witnesses:

CHESTERFIELD O. MIDDLEBROOK, KATHLEEN KENNAUGH. 

